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Topic: any of you have luck putting out baited swarm traps? (Read 1413 times)

kinda think it would be a cool thing to try next season to get free bees.. where i am in the southern part of NJ i am surrounded by agriculture and all those farms are being commercially pollinated and i am sure i would catch a few when those hives go to swarm..for those who have done this can you provide me with any pointers?i made up a bunch of nucs this season to use as traps..thanksant

Make sure the bait hive is set at least 300 ft. (100M) from any existing hive. I set one 50 ft. (15M) from my existing hives only to be fooled into watching the bees go in and out, acting like a swarm, without catching anything for two weeks.

A few drops of LGO on a cotton ball and placed in a sealed zip plastic bag will allow the scent to permeate through the pores in the plastic. Put it near the entrance. Refresh the scent every few weeks.

Bright colors only invite trouble. Not that the bees care; kids or other nosey's could mess with them. I paint mine in Woodland Camo.

Primarily swarms are looking for a dry place. Size is also a factor, but building a bait hive to 2500^3 in. (40 liters) makes for a big cumbersome trap. When you're carrying it through the trees, it makes me tired.

FRAMES. Nuff sed.

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"Thinking is like sin, them that doesn't is scairt of it, and them that does gets to liking it so much they can't quit!" -Josh Billings.

In my 'limited' experience an empty hive has worked better. Peviously used is best if no disease is presentIMO.

In my own case, a couple mediums w/frames full of empty comb and empty frames. My traps are always investigated by bees but only one has ever attracted a swarm in 7 seasons, while I can usually catch one in an empty hive about once every season, sometimes more.

That all said, I usually collect the majority of swarms from trees.

thomas

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"Trust those who seek the truth, doubt those who say they've found it."

Caught one swarm in a swarm trap, a double five frame nuc. I had top bars in the nuc along with burr comb with lemongrass oil worked into it. Had four set out in deer stands. Felt like one out of four wasn't bad for feral bees. No known beekeepers within miles.

allan got it covered; go simple, just chunk a rope over a limb and pull it up. i catch plenty swarms and most in and empty box with a coupla drops o lemon grass and some slum gum if i feel energetic distance might matter, but have hung a box on limb of tree that bees were in and caught, but i agree little more is better. look at bud 3 videos and see what one of my bait hives look like and a few swarms

allan got it covered; go simple, just chunk a rope over a limb and pull it up. i catch plenty swarms and most in and empty box with a coupla drops o lemon grass and some slum gum if i feel energetic distance might matter, but have hung a box on limb of tree that bees were in and caught, but i agree little more is better. look at bud 3 videos and see what one of my bait hives look like and a few swarms

What exactly is slum gum?Jim

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There used to be a sticky of all the Bud3 videos didn't there?Under the first childs board there are threads under conferences and gatherings.

Scott

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